1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to gloves comprising an outer glove and an inner glove within the outer glove, where the inner glove is optionally removable from the outer glove.
2. Discussion of the Background
Protective gloves are known for protecting the hands of the wearer from various types of external abrasion, heat, temperature and toxic or corrosive chemicals. Ideally, protective gloves serve to protect the delicate bones and tissues of the wearers hand from injury while at the same time not limiting the user's finger dexterity. A particularly difficult problem is protection of the hand against a combination of environmental factors such as abrasion and heat when these environmental factors occur in a chemical environment. Protect on of the wearer from toxic and corrosive chemicals or solvents presents a unique challenge to the design of protective gloves.
Protective gloves designed to protect against friction and abrasion and retain finger dexterity are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,122 describes a leather glove primarily designed for use in absorbing trauma to the hand of the user during such games as baseball and softball. The leather glove has finger and palm pads for absorbing shock and thick leather portions for reducing abrasion while at the same time not interfering with dorsal resistance and wrap-around grasp of the hand. Tactile sensation is maintained by leaving the fingertips uncovered.
Similar fingerless gloves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,545 which discloses a glove having a large opening at the dorsal side of the hand and U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,097 which discloses a fingerless-glove-for use in playing arcade games. This latter glove has a relatively large opening between the thumb and forefinger and leaves the forefinger substantially uncovered. Clearly, gloves which leave uncovered substantial portions of the hand are unsatisfactory as protective gloves in a corrosive chemical or solvent environment.
Surgical gloves are known which are made primarily from natural and synthetic rubber compositions. The surgical gloves are flexible and fit the hand with a skin-tight fit. Such gloves are substantially impervious to aqueous fluids such as blood, and maintain substantial tactile sensitivity in the fingertips necessary for intricate surgical procedures and the handling of small surgical instruments. However, conventional surgical gloves lack the structural strength and resilience necessary to protect against friction and abrasion. Surgical gloves and other types of rubber gloves (lined or unlined) are inadequate for use in greasy or oily environments. When the rubber gloves become coated with grease or oil, the lubricating effect of the grease or oil impairs the users ability to handle tools safely. Further, conventional rubber or surgical gloves are completely ineffective in protecting against high temperatures such as are encountered in the handling of hot glassware and chemical apparatus.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for protective gloves which protect against abrasion, heat and chemical environments and which are flexible, while at the same time enabling one to utilize the sensitive fingertips for performing small scale and fine fingertip manipulation.